number two it was the funeral of nelson mandela, who among so many other things we've been talking about the last two days with a in favor of reconciliation. if the funeral of nelson mandela, and president obama who complained on a platform of talking to enemies even if you're in a condition of great hostility, given all of those things, you're going to expect president obama to snub raul castro in front of cameras? that was unlikely to happen. >> michael smerconish, i think your take would be a quite unique. >> you can be the judge. my take is that the cuban embargo has been 100% successful in keeping the castros in power because it's given the two of them a built in bookie man for all that's wrong with their economy. i'm a believe if we had had open trade with cuba long ago the castro brothers would have fell. we should give those kids down there a taste of xboxes and see how long the castro brothers can stay in power. >> full disclosure, you have some history with the castros, no? >> as a journalist, i once was in a meeting with fidel castro, an 8-hour meeting, not that i was turned i